In 2019, Óscar F. de la Garza Clariond and his wife, Mónica Zambrano, faced every parent’s worst nightmare: the loss of their son Fernando to suicide at age 17. A twin and the oldest of five, Fernando first showed signs of anxiety as a child but, despite seeking help, never received the comprehensive care he needed. For Óscar and Mónica, his experience exposed a critical gap in resources and services, especially for adolescents, and an alarming scarcity of child psychiatrists. They resolved to channel their grief into purpose and action. “While most people would understandably concentrate on surviving and not talk about such a difficult and tragic event, Óscar and Mónica chose to learn everything possible from what their family went through in order to prevent anyone else from going through the same,” recalls Veronica Elizondo, MBA ’01. Out of the couple’s determination, Humind was born.
Founded after more than a year of research, planning, and fundraising, Humind is a nonprofit organization that promotes mental health through education, prevention, timely diagnosis, and high-quality care. It provides educational services to schools, communities, and businesses, along with scholarships designed to increase the number of child psychiatrists in Mexico, where Óscar and his family live. It also runs a specialized clinic in Monterrey that has treated more than 2,000 patients to date. A second location is expected to open soon, reaching even more families in need. Describing Humind’s approach during a TEDx talk in 2024, Óscar urges, “Let’s break the stigma, ask for help, and remember that there is no health without mental health.”
Through Humind, Óscar and Mónica are normalizing open conversations about mental health and suicide, equipping teachers and parents with tools for earlier interventions, and broadening access to high-quality care. Their “commitment to turning insurmountable pain and grief into an actionable mission to try and help other families” exemplifies the GSB’s mission to change lives and the world, Veronica says. “As a mom, as a friend of Óscar and Mónica, and as a fellow classmate and alum, I couldn’t be prouder to know them,” she adds.
